Jess Holland - Miss Demeanour (2018)

Formidable country artist Jess Holland has recorded what is arguably the album that will define her career. Her third long-player – the sassy titled Miss Demeanour – has been a labour of love to bring to fruition and the proverbial ‘blood, sweat and tears’ behind the release is evident in the finished product. It stands firm as an album that showcases a songwriter who knows themselves, has had a lot of opportunity for introspection and has funnelled this into inspiration, and is confident in their musical direction.
Jess Holland has been making music fans – and critics alike – sit up and listen since she smashed onto the music scene back in 2011. Her debut album, Introducing… Jess Holland, was the perfect introduction and showed a young musician on the rise. Her sophomore release Whole Lot To Say (2014) was aptly titled, Jess did have a whole lot to say, and a lot to showcase – a more mature side to her songwriting and a promise of great things to come.
Those great things have transpired in Miss Demeanour. It is an honest album – cemented in country, but skirting elements of blues, rock, bluegrass, soul, and rockabilly. Essentially, it is one hundred percent Jess Holland – what you see, or in this case, what you hear, is what you get. That songwriting style that attracted attention is still there but has evolved.